Portret van Artemisia Gentileschi 1615 - 1670

This is Jerôme David’s “Portret van Artemisia Gentileschi,” made in the 17th century. It is a delicate engraving, a printmaking process that requires meticulous work with specialized tools to incise lines into a metal plate. Look closely, and you can see how the density and direction of these lines create a sense of form, texture, and light. The controlled nature of the engraving process, with its demand for precision and detail, mirrors the discipline and skill required of artists like Gentileschi herself. Engravings like this played a crucial role in disseminating images and ideas in a pre-photographic era. They were a means of circulating portraits, allowing individuals to become known and celebrated beyond their immediate circles. This print not only immortalizes Gentileschi, but also speaks to the growing recognition and agency of women artists in a male-dominated art world. It collapses any assumed divide between art and craft, with the print functioning as both a work of art and an instrument of social change.